Question for Grant regarding Motown and mono.

[John Oteri]

Mr. Mono Man, help!

I've been in a Motown mood, and have pulled out all of my old Motown CD's (the ones that came out in the middle 1980's in stereo).

Man, some of these sound like c r a p .

I WANT THE MONO MIXES I GREW UP WITH!

Can you suggest a place to start? Is the famous Motown mono box any good? I mean how does it sound? Is it thin and mean, like some of the other Rhino things I've heard?

Thanks for your help.

Oh and Mono Indy Mike, you can chime in to! All of you stereo freaks, well this isn't the thread for you! ;)

[Grant]

Most of the boxed set would be a good start.

[Andrew]

Some of the various "Anthology" titles (1990s versions) have lots of mono too. Bought the Marvin Gaye and Supremes sets just for that very reason.

[CM Wolff]

I have never been a stickler about mono vs. stereo as I didn't grow up with this music and have no memories to compare to. With that said, I think the latest Harry Weinger-produced compilations, whether from the Ultimate Collection series or the box sets, try to make right decisions about mono/single mixes. I have most of the Ultimate Collections as well as the bigger boxes (Four Tops, Temps, Supremes, Smokey, Marvin, Hitsville Volumes One and Two); I am very, very happy with them and the decisions that were made. The more recent Tops and Supremes boxes in particular rarely leave the mega-changer.

On a related Motown note, I am looking forward to the reissues of individual albums coming out on the 26th if anyone has any advance news or thoughts...

Finally, of potential interest to any Motown devotees on this board is that the board over at the official Motown site appears to be slowly but surely gaining more traction and getting many more worthwhile topics and posts. I have been getting quite of bit of good info there recently.

[Grant]

Originally posted by CM Wolff


Finally, of potential interest to any Motown devotees on this board is that the board over at the official Motown site appears to be slowly but surely gaining more traction and getting many more worthwhile topics and posts. I have been getting quite of bit of good info there recently.

Woo! You just made my day! I just joined there. Yes!:D

[guy incognito]

What I would love to see is a reissue campaign that eventually makes every extant mono and stereo mix the label ever released available on CD in some way, shape or form. That way, everybody wins.

Failing that, I'd prefer to see them make mono the priority. ;)

The first Hitsville, U.S.A. box has great sound, IMO--an Inglot/Hirsch mastering, but not nearly as harsh as some of the more recent Rhino stuff. And everything's in punchy '60s mono.

[Grant]

Inglot used a restored, specially modified tube playback tape machine. I think he may also have used vintage gear. The box sounds much smoother than the later "Ultimate Collection" CDs.

[luke j. chung]

It should also be pointed out, Grant, that Inglot and Hersch used the same mastering equipment to do the first installment of the now-legendary Stax Singles Box sets! The sound on that collection is just flat-out magnificent, IMHO.:cool:

[Larry Naramore]

Another great sounding Rhino disc is Endlessly-Best Of Brook Benton. His version of Don't It Make You Wanna Go Home is superb

[Bob Lovely]

All,

With a few notable exceptions, the early to mid 60's Motown hits sound best in their original Mono single mixes. These mixes are more balanced and smooth sounding. Unfortunately, a lot of the early stereo mixes are filled with artifacts such as phase shifts, drop-outs and distortion. In this case, Mono rules. The Hitsville USA set is very well mastered. About the time Motown moved out of Detroit their Stereo mixes had much improved sound.

Bob :)

[J Epstein]

I'd like to put in a plug here for the new "Lost and found" series. Excellent selections of unreleased material.

[Grant]

The first Stax/Volt box gets ME the closest I will ever be to the sound of the original 45s. Amazing!

I got lucky. I got it for wholesale cost because I was such a good customer at a store where I bought it.

I also lucked out with the Motown box. I walked into hastings and whoever priced it accidantally gave it the cassette price. I snappped it up and didn't say a word until I had the recipt in my hand!

I reported the sound of the box in the BSN newsletter but it met with dead silence, of course.

[Andrew]

Originally posted by Grant
The first Stax/Volt box gets ME the closest I will ever be to the sound of the original 45s. Amazing!

Agreed. Too bad the Beatles "first four" don't sound like that, they'd be much easier to live with.

[btomarra]

Quoting Grant

The first Stax/Volt box gets ME the closest I will ever be to the sound of the original 45s. Amazing!

Agreed! I recently purchased the Stax Story by Fantasy Records. It uses some of the stereo mixes instead of the mono mixes. I also feel the fourth disc on that was a waste of space. I would have preferred the single mix of Hang 'em High by Booker T. instead of the live version. As well as making the discs thematic.

Even though the Stax/Volt box is exhaustive (9 Cds), it never tires me. Love the sound.

Brian

:cool:

[Grant]

For those interested in classic Motown, I encourage you to join and participate in the Motown forum. It's mostly a fanzine kind of place but I would like to raise the bar a bit over there.

http://boards.motown.com/

Yup. You do have to register!

I'm also on the lookout for more R&B/Soul oriented message boards that aren't so casual fan-based.

[guy incognito]

Originally posted by Grant

I reported the sound of the (Hitsville) box in the BSN newsletter but it met with dead silence, of course.

It could've been worse, they might have verbally tarred-'n'-feathered you as a "monomaniac", or some such. :D

Thanks for reminding me about that Stax/Volt box. I've been meaning to get a copy for a long time but had forgotten all about it of late.

[Grant]

Originally posted by guy incognito


It could've been worse, they might have verbally tarred-'n'-feathered you as a "monomaniac", or some such. :D



They did on the message board.

[indy mike]

Hey Grant, are there other examples of the warm mono sound that Inglot is responsible for like the Stax box and the Hitsville set? I'm one of those stereo lovin' kinda guys, but mono works for me IF Mr. I. hasn't jacked up the mids and sucked all the warmth outta the music (Yardbirds latest on Rhino fer instance, or the Nuggets boxed set)??? Do you think he's trying to capture the sound of a 45 being played back on less than hi-fi equipment? Am I making much sense here (hear)??? :confused: